Before Bella
by Lady Asia
Summary: Everything you thought about Edward is dead wrong. He wasn't always the perfect gentleman Bella first met - and he preyed on another before she ever arrived in Forks. Contains adult themes and sex scenes.
1. Chapter 1

The weather in Forks seemed to be the only thing that customers commented on.

I shook out my umbrella and closed it, stowing it behind the bike racks adjacent to the big glass doors of the Mini-Mart. My uniform was dotted with specks of water, but other than that, I had escaped the torrential downpour relatively unscathed. I straightened my name badge, which had QUINN in cursive script, and hurried inside the dimly lit store. Even as I walked, I heard an elderly gentleman near the deli comment to his companion, "Would you look at that rain, Leon?"

My friends had begged me not to leave Australia, but they didn't understand that it wasn't my choice. Moving to Forks, Washington, had been my father's idea, and Quinn Hadley and her mother Beth had no choice but to go along with it. I had begged, screamed, pleaded and implored with her, but Mother had just turned to me with her sad eyes and said, "Honey, you're so beautiful and young and friendly. You'll make new friends in no time." The way she said it made me sad. I realised then how I'd never thought about the move affecting her.

I passed Tyler Crowley, who was manning one of the registers. He waved his hand enthusiastically and started forward, and I nodded my head in response. Tyler was good-looking, but definitely not my type. I'd only been in the country for three weeks, and he'd already left several messages on my answering machine and even drove by our house a couple of times. I couldn't complain about his attention: after all, he'd gotten me a job at the Mini-Mart. I'd done okay dodging him by negotiating the majority of my shifts around his, but when school started back tomorrow, there would be only so many places I could hide.

"Quinn!" a voice called. I turned, and saw Pia Marshall, the owner of the store. I hurried towards her, eager to avoid conversation with Tyler. "You start school tomorrow, right?' she asked, jotting something down on paper. "I just need to get started on the new rosters, and half the staff are gone during the week now."

"Half?" I laughed. "Pia, there's only six of us working here."

"Exactly!" Pia moaned. "You, Tyler and Jessica start back at school tomorrow, and I've only got Jason and Bea left to do five days straight."

I shrugged my slim shoulders, and adjusted the collar of my work shirt. "You might need to hire someone else then, I guess."

Pia glowered. "I just hired you! I can't afford anyone else!" she sighed, and made another note in the margin of her roster. "Get started on stock, could you? Jess and Tyler will be fine to handle the customers for a while."

I nodded dutifully and trotted off. I headed to the cigarette counter, which Jessica was filling, and tossed my handbag inside the cupboard. "Hi, Jess," I said, waiting for the torrent of conversation to come streaming back.

"Quinn! Can you believe holidays are already over? Back to school again! Well, not so much for you. This is going to be great, I just love knowing who the new person is before everyone else, don't you? Don't stress, you can just stick with me the entire day. My little group of friends are the crème de la crème of Forks High." Jessica finally took a breath, and I stole my chance at departing.

"Thanks, Jess. That sounds great," I answered, but truth be told, I had no intention of sticking with Jessica if her little group included Tyler. "I'll come back and see you in a bit, okay? I'm just finishing stock."

I headed for the canned goods section, and started to tidy the cans of peas and diced tomatoes into neat stacks. They were near the top shelf, and my five foot three frame was hardly basketball-player material. Standing on my tip-toes, I shoved the last couple of cans onto the shelf haphazardly, and as I'd expected, in an unbalanced tower. The top can teetered before practically leaping off the shelf and aiming straight for my forehead. I shut my eyes and instinctively stepped back, waiting for the sound of the can imploding on the tiled floor, but it never came. Opening them, I jumped in shock when I saw a pair of gold eyes peering curiously at me.

Embarrassed, I pulled down my shirt, which had ridden up to expose a strip of tanned stomach. "Thanks," I said softly, reaching for the can. He silently moved forward and easily reached up to the top shelf, balancing the can neatly with the rest of the stack. "Thanks," I repeated.

"You're welcome," he said, his voice low and throaty. His eyes never left mine. For a moment, it felt as though we were the only two people in the world. The background noises faded, and the only thing I could hear was the sound of my rapidly beating heart, drumming desperately against my rib cage. My eyes drank him in, his lean, muscular body, chiselled and strong. His bronze coloured hair, which was artfully messy, as though he had swept in on broomstick and the wind had merely ruffled his hair. His expression, which was impassive and looked as though it was made from stone. The only thing that betrayed his emotions seemed to be his eyes, which were still locked with mine. Watching.

"I'm Quinn Hadley," I heard myself say. "I'm sorry about the can."

_You idiot!_ I fumed at myself. _Stop talking about the stupid can!_

He leant forward, directing his rosy lips to my ear. I breathed in suddenly at his close proximity and closed my eyes. He smelt of leather and mint. "I'm Edward," he said, his cold breath tickling my ear and neck. "And I'm not."

When I opened them a second later, he'd already disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of my shift was a blur. I could barely concentrate. All I could think about was finding out more about Edward. A thousand questions ran through my mind. _What was his last name? Did he go to Forks High? _And, most importantly, _was he single?_

I blushed at the thought of the last one. As I walked home, peering out from underneath my umbrella apprehensively at the darkening sky, I chastised myself for sounding so desperate. I'd had boyfriends before, but it wasn't a big deal to me. I could live without a date. But for some reason, I felt like I couldn't live without seeing this boy again.

I laughed aloud and kicked a stone. "You're nuts, Quinn," I said to myself, quickening my pace. "He might have been passing through. You might never see him again. Quit obsessing and think of something else."

But I couldn't.

Even on the morning of my first day at Forks High, the boy called Edward was the only thing on my mind. I'd barely slept the night before, tossing and turning and wondering whether I'd finally see him again. Of course, that and the sounds of the phone ringing incessantly until my mother had unplugged it from the wall, telling me to ask Tyler to call at a more decent hour. I'd finally fallen asleep around two, and awoken at six, unable to get back to sleep. To pass the time, I'd washed and blowdried my hair, painstakingly curling it and brushing it till it shone like spun silk. I'd spent almost an hour and a half staring into the mirror, making myself up for the day.

I decided to walk to school that day, even though rain had been forecast. I'd never been a confident driver, and I didn't want to risk having an accident or breaking down on the way and never making it to school. What if I turned up late, and Edward fell in love with another girl? I'd be turned off driving forever.

_Edward. _The name was driving me crazy. I'd never liked such old fashioned names, but for some reason I liked the way it rolled off my tongue. The boys I had dated back in Australia had ridiculous nicknames like Spike, and Chomper, so Edward was surprisingly formal. I imagined myself calling him Eddie, and Ed, but it didn't seem to work. It had to be Edward.

As I rounded the school gate, a car honked me. I turned, and Tyler's grinning face beamed at me from the drivers seat. I grimaced and waved, doubling my speed and attempting to make it inside before he managed to find a spot. I spotted Jess and two other girls, who stood at the double doors, and hurried over to her. "Hey," I panted, out of breath.

"Hey, Quinn. This is Lauren and Angela. They're my best friends. I don't mean that in a mean way, I mean, we could become best friends. Who knows? But anyway, we were waiting for a few other people, but they'll probably be late. Come inside with us."

Angela acknowledged me with a smile and a nod of her head, but Lauren kept her eyes firmly trained on the parking lot. I bristled visibly, hating the feeling of being ignored, and followed Jessica into the school. She chattered non-stop, pointing out different places and people I had to know, but I couldn't listen. My eyes darted from side to side, searching for only one thing.

First period was a blur. Math had never been my favourite subject, but I dutifully wrote down the problems and answered when my name was called. It wasn't until lunch that I finally saw him. As we filed out of the classroom, I saw him leaning against the row of lockers next to the boys bathroom, talking to another boy. His friend was almost as good-looking as he was: he had a burly build and close-cropped brown hair, with a sprinkling of stubble on his face. He wore a pair of loose jeans and a corduroy jacket. He said something which made Edward laugh, and I felt my stomach drop when his gaze shifted over to me. His eyes widened slightly, and he muttered something to his friend. He turned away and darted into the bathroom, and I stopped. What was I supposed to do? Other than his friend and two other people who also had their heads buried in their lockers, the hallway was virtually empty. I took my chance and stole inside the bathroom.

I'd just crossed the threshold and seen all the empty stalls when strong arms enveloped me from behind. I gasped, breathing in sharply, and my heart felt as though it was going to leap from my chest. "Quinn." The sound of my name sent ripples of excitement tingling down my spine, and my knees felt weak. He crushed me tight to his chest and I stared into the basin mirror, watching in my dazed state as he traced rough kisses down my neck. He grabbed a fistful of my curly blonde hair and pulled it aside, moaning "Quinn," into my ear again. "Edward," I breathed back, struggling to stay upright. "Edward."

He looked beautiful. In the mirror, I could see his bronze hair fell over one eye, while the other watched me as I shivered. His leather jacket encased his strong arms, and the grey shirt he wore underneath strained snugly against his chiselled physique. The small, slim girl in the navy-coloured dress with high neckline and the short hemline looked frail in his arms, and her thickly-lashed green eyes watched him hungrily. I realised with a start that it was me.

He twisted me around to face him, caressing my face with icy-cold hands. "I can't stop thinking about you," I whispered. "I – I'm crazy about you."

Edward chuckled. "You don't know me," he reminded. "You don't know anything about me. How can you feel so strongly about someone you only met once?"

He made me feel intoxicated. "I don't know. But I want to know you," I said impulsively. "I want to know everything about you."

Edward's hands travelled down my back and rested on the insides of my thighs. Without warning, he hitched them up and wrapped my legs around his waist, pressing his forehead to mine. "That can be arranged," he responded silkily, and backed into the cubicle, shutting the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hi, Quinn," my mother called as a dashed into the house later that afternoon. "How was your first day of school?"

I passed her on the way to my room. She was sitting at the kitchen table, the lace doily she had knitted covering her lap and her pencil and pad out in front of her. I peeked at the envelope of the table and saw that she was writing to my grandmother. "It was fine," I answered impatiently. "Pretty good, actually. I think I made a couple of friends."

Her face shone with excitement. "Honey, that's great. I told you that you'd make friends in a heartbeat. Not just friends either," she added, winking. "Tell me about this boy of yours."

I already had my back to her when she said that last part. I froze, my eyebrows raised in shock. "What boy? What?"

My mother indicated to the answering machine. "Tyler? He's left six messages just this afternoon. I considered taking the phone off the hook. You're lucky your father is still at work, otherwise he'd probably scare Tyler into never calling here again."

I rolled my eyes and started up the stairs to my room. "He's no one, Mum," I called back. "Definitely not boyfriend material!"

My face must have been bright red. Touching a finger to my warm cheek, I couldn't believe how hot my face felt. I stumbled into the bathroom and stared at my face, tracing the same cheek Edward had caressed only hours earlier. I couldn't believe he could fall in love with someone like me. "You're my one and only," he'd crooned in my ear.

I knew it was moving fast. It was insane. I'd never been like this before. "Neither have I," he'd whispered, brushing my curls away from my face. It had been one day since I'd known this boy existed and already I felt as though I would throw myself in front of a bus for him. I remembered how he'd smiled when I told him this.

I threw off my clothes into the washing hamper and dashed back out to my closet, flinging open the giant double doors. Shivering slightly, I realised that I would have to go shopping in Seattle soon. All of my clothes were more tailored to the sun and surf of Australia. I had a feeling that my tight little midriffs and floaty beach dresses were not going to do much for me in rainy Forks.

I chose a pair of skinny stonewashed jeans and a long-sleeved knitted cardigan, with artfully ripped holes. I slipped my feet into a pair of leather sandals and quickly ran my hands through my hair to tousle the curls, and I was done. I would touch up my makeup in the car, which I had decided I had to start driving soon. I grabbed my keys off my bedside table and thundered back downstairs.

"Are you going out?" Mum shouted.

"Yes!" I replied. "Don't bother making me dinner, I won't be back till late!"

"Wait just a minute!"

I groaned slightly, and stopped in my tracks. I hadn't even heard my father come home. "Yes, Dad?" I responded meekly, staring into his tanned, leathery face.

His eyebrows knotted together. "We're having onion and leek soup," he said finally. "Crusty rolls. Your favourite. Don't you want to stay and talk about your first day?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I've already promised some friends that I'd meet them at the diner for dinner tonight. I really want to make friends here," I added, laying it on thick. "I was so worried that everybody would already be in their own little groups..."

He considered this, scratching his chin. "You're right," he replied. "You need to make friends. I'll see you later tonight then?"

"Absolutely," I answered. "I'll tell you all about... Jessica and Lauren... that's two of the girls I'm meeting..."

My voice trailed off as Dad turned his back and headed towards the study. I closed the front door and bolted down the driveway, heading for my car. Slipping into the front seat, I started the engine and rummaged through my handbag for my make-up satchel, which was typically at the very bottom. I smiled at myself in the sun-visor mirror, brushing on lashings of black mascara and winging my eyeliner out at the corner of my eyes. Edward loved it when girls took care of themselves, and even though I was partial to heavy makeup, he didn't seem to mind.

"Look at me, talking like I've known him for years," I said aloud, to no-one in particular. I grabbed the closest CD and put it in, skipping through the tracks until I came to a loud and pulsing beat, which matched the erratic thrum of my heart.

The diner wasn't that far away. It was maybe a seven, eight minute drive away, in the centre of town. I picked the easiest park and cut the engine. I wasn't sure whether I should wait in the car for him, or if I should stand near the front door of the diner, but my decision was made for you. I'd hesitated for around two seconds when a blur at my door caught my eye. It was Edward, the perfect gentleman, opening my door and holding out his arm so I could climb out.

"Hi!" I said breathlessly, staring up at his amber-coloured eyes.

His smile stretched from ear to ear. "Hello," he intoned, allowing me to grasp his elbow and pull myself out. "I hope you don't have your heart set on chips and gravy at the local diner, Quinn. I had something a little more... refined, planned."

I wrinkled my nose, trying to not think of the fat content of a single serve of chips and gravy. "Not at all," I replied. I couldn't help but notice how his fingers grazed my arm, lingering for a fraction of a second longer than necessary. "I don't really eat junk food."

He chuckled, his voice deepening in his throat, and murmured, "Neither do I."

"We make a good pair, then," I answered, leaning against the door of my car. My boldness and confidence didn't seem to faze him, and he gently shouldered me in the direction of his shiny Volvo, which was parked right near the entrance. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen him when I'd driven in.

"I suppose we do." He unlocked the car and held my door open for me, waiting till I'd slid into the leather interior and was buckled in before retreating to his side. Once we were on the road, he turned to me, and leant forward. He was so close, his nose was touching the silky strands of my hair. He breathed in deeply and said in a soft, low voice, "I have a surprise for you."


	4. Chapter 4

When he stopped the car around ten minutes later, we were parked by the side of the road. I looked out of the car nervously, and asked tremulously, "Did we break down?"

Edward shook his head a fraction and slid out of the car, like a sea snake moving fluidly through a stream of water. "This is a Volvo, Quinn. It doesn't break down."

"I'm vehicle illiterate," I answered, watching him as he walked around the front to open my door. "So does this mean we're going on foot from here?"

"It's not far, I promise," he said. "Otherwise trust me, I would have told you to bring more sensible footwear."

"What's wrong with my shoes?" I asked indignantly, staring down at my tanned feet.

"Nothing," he replied smoothly, crooking his elbow so I could step out.

"Good," I answered grumpily. "These cost me almost one hundred and fifty dollars. Tony Bianco doesn't make cheap sandals."

Edward tried to hide his smile as he led the way through a small path in the overgrown bush. "I like a woman who takes care of herself."

I liked that he'd called me a woman. It almost made up for the fact that I was going hiking instead of on some wonderfully posh dinner. "I like to be appreciated," I shot back flirtatiously. I intertwined by hand with his as we started to walk. His grip was icy cold, but I didn't flinch. I was certain that the frigid weather had turned my hands into ice cubes as well.

We took a couple of steps in silence, and then Edward's grip tightened.

"Do you want to get there a little faster?" he asked, his voice somewhat tentative.

"That depends," I responded sarcastically, tripping over a raised tree root. "Did you bring your rocket launcher pants?"

"I'll assume that's that famous Australian humour coming through," he said drily. "No, I mean, I can get us there a little quicker. If you like. But I just want to make sure you trust me."

"Sure," I shrugged, tugging the hem of my sweater down a little.

He glanced at me sideways out of the corner of his eye. "If you're certain."

"Jesus, Edward," I said. "What's the big deal? If you can get us there quicker, then go ahead-"

It all happened so quickly. One moment, I was trudging through the dirt, wincing as my beautiful shoes collected mud, and in the next, I had just touched the ground, my head spinning and my eyes adjusting to the shimmering light. I pressed my fingertips gingerly to my temples.

"We're here," Edward said quietly, unabashedly scooping my hand into his own and gently propelling me forward. His hesitant and careful manner made me smirk to myself. He hadn't been so shy and unassuming earlier when we were sharing a locked cubicle.

I heard him snort, and his grip became more vice-like. "Just here will do, Quinn," he murmured, setting down the basket he'd brought with him. I'd barely noticed it before now. It was small and wicker, with an embroidered dual-opening cover. He produced a folded tartan blanket and spread it along the ground, so that the sparse dew dotting the grass wouldn't stain our clothes. "You can sit."

"That's a nice basket," I said, dropping to the ground.

"It belongs to my adoptive mother, Esmé," he replied, settling himself next to me. "One of her prize possessions, actually."

"It looks quite old," I commented, running my hand over the pleated wicker. "Has it been in her family for years?"

"Something like that."

I nodded to myself, and opened my mouth to keep speaking, but for some reason, my mind went blank. I searched the corners of my brain, tiny frown lines appearing between my eyes, but I couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly what I'd been thinking. I knew I wanted to ask him something important. Something about getting here. But what the hell had it been?

"So, Quinn Hadley," he said, breaking into my stilted thoughts. "Tell me about yourself."

We spoke for a while, bantering back and forth like a couple who had been dating forever, before he asked the question that I knew was coming. It was inevitable.

"How come you moved all the way over to rainy little Forks?"

I pushed that niggling questions to the back of my mind. "Well, I moved here with my mother and father after my grandmother died. We used to live with her in her big house in Queensland, on the Sunshine Coast. She had one of those big beach-front houses, with the double-story balconies and whatever. It was a beautiful place. One morning we woke up and she was lying at the bottom of the stairs. She'd tripped in the middle of the night on the way downstairs. I guess she wanted a glass of water or something. When she died, Dad couldn't stand the thought of living there without her. He didn't even want to be in the region as that house. Instead of just moving somewhere else in Australia, he decided on Forks. So here I am."

"Here you are," Edward agreed, pulling a bottle of wine from the basket. He poured some into a plastic glass and handed it to me with a flourish. "I'm sorry to hear that. Losing a family member is never easy."

Was it something about the Volvo? Maybe it had been making funny sounds. "Edward-" I began.

"What about yourself, though?" Edward prodded. "What are your likes? Dislikes? What's your favourite food? Where did you like to go on the weekends?

"Are you for real?" I blurted out. I self-consciously twisted a curl around my finger. "I mean, what do you care?"

"Well, I'm finding myself starting to care about you," he said smoothly, watching me as I downed the glass of wine in a couple of gulps. Not very lady-like, but you've got to understand my passion for wine.

"Oh," I answered, feeling stupid. "I'm just not used to having guys actually ask about me. What I like and whatever. Chomper only ever asked how I felt if it meant I couldn't give him a lift home from Surfers that night.

"Chomper?" Edward said disdainfully, an eyebrow raised.

"My ex boyfriend from back home," I muttered.

"Why Chomper?" he asked, a teasing smile lighting up his face.

I shrugged. "He had big teeth. These big white, straight teeth."

"Like a vampire?" Edward said suddenly. He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and I laughed grudgingly.

"Not so much. More like a big, spoilt brat whose dentist tried to cram one too many teeth into his mouth," I said savagely, pouring myself another glass of sparkling Eden.

"You've got a good sense of humour," Edward said.

"You've got good taste," I responded, taking another sip. "This wine is a great year. And this place is beautiful. I have to admit, when you firs stopped the car, I wasn't entirely sure that I'd enjoy tonight. But so far it's been nice. Different. Not at all what I'm used to... but nice."

"I'm glad I'm different to the others," Edward whispered huskily. He pushed the basket onto the grass and slid down onto his elbows, never taking his eyes off me. A lock of bronze hair fell over one eye.

My breath caught in my throat. He seemed to do it so easily. He just _dazzled _me. I completely forgot whatever I was thinking, and my head would just go blissfully blank. It was as if he could just cloud my mind. "Thanks a lot," I said throatily.

"What?" he asked, nudging the wine glass out of my hand and pulling me down so I was lying flat on my back, staring up into his face.

"You," I answered, a thousand different threads of thought running through my mind, yet at the same time, I struggled to follow one conscious stream of words. "You can just... distract me. I don't know how the hell you do it. I've been trying to remember something ever since we sat down here, but I just can't put my finger on it."

He traced my protruding collarbones, and it felt as though he was running an icecube over my bare skin. It was delicious. "Have you been trying to think of a way to thank me for taking you to my secret spot? You're the only girl I've ever taken here."

"This place is your secret spot?"

He nodded, his fingers moving lower. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who comes here," he confirmed. A twig snapped somewhere in the distance, and I jerked instinctively. "The only person, anyway," he amended. "This meadow is filled with God's creatures. I'm with one of the most beautiful creatures he ever made."

"I think it's a wonderful spot," I said, snuggling closer to his chest. "Thank you for taking me. I don't know how I can repay you, but I'm sure I can think of a way." His chiselled chest felt so smooth underneath my fingers. My head filled with naughty thoughts, and I felt him smother a laugh.

Shifting slightly, Edward leant forward, brushing my hair away from my neck. "You're very beautiful, Quinn," he said softly. "Have I told you that?"

"Not enough," I replied, moving so he had better access to my face. He placed his fingers under my chin and turned my head so I was facing the meadow. The light shone through the trees and danced over the dew-covered grass, throwing shards of rainbows into the air like a dozen diamonds suspended in the muggy air. The only way I could possibly do the meadow justice would be trying to describe it as a fairy kingdom. It just had such a beautiful, ethereal quality to it. Edward belonged in it.

He bent at the waist, until I felt his breath on my neck. "Close your eyes," he said. "I want to give you your surprise."

"I thought the meadow was my surprise," I answered, feeling drunk on love.

"This is something even better, I promise," he responded. I raised my hands to my sweater, trying to tug it off over my head, but he gently rested his hand on my arms. "You can leave your clothes on for now."

I snorted grumpily. "I happen to prefer surprises a lot more when I'm naked," I answered.

"Hold still," he interrupted. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."

By the time I felt the pain, it had been replaced by a feeling of elation. Almost as if I was floating off the ground.

Then everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

When I woke up, I wasn't in my bed.

I slowly roused, opening one eye sleepily and then the other, before I realised. I stuck out my hand groggily to reach for my phone, to start off my habitual pre-breakfast Facebook stalk, and my hand connected with something solid. I knocked a lamp off the bedside table, and it tumbled to the floor. The first thing I thought was, _shit. I hope it didn't break._ My second thought was, _since when do I own a lamp?_

It was then that I noticed the rust-coloured satin sheets I was lying on top of. The heavy off-white bedspread with the intricate embroidery had been kicked to the bottom of the bed, and the memory-foam pillows were jutting out from between my legs. I saw that I was wearing a grey dress shirt, which fell just above my knees, and was unbuttoned. I searched my mind frantically for any memory of the night before. Nothing came to me.

A hand suddenly snaked across my hips and pulled me backwards. "Morning, beautiful," an alert voice crooned.

My heart was hammering in my chest. "Edward?" I choked. "What... where... why am I here?"

He chuckled. "You don't remember?"

I shook my head as best I could. After all, I was still lying down, and the thread count on the silk sheets had to be insanely high. I felt like I was sleeping in butter. "I don't remember anything after... the picnic. We had a picnic, right? How did I get back here?" Another thought struck me. I threw myself out of bed, surprising the both of us with my agility. "Edward! My parents! They must be going out of their minds!"

I scrabbled towards the rocking chair in the corner, which I could see my clothes resting on, folded neatly. I pulled the dress shirt off quickly, ripping two of the buttons off in my haste. They landed on the carpeted floor, not making a sound. They looked like a pair of eyes, staring back at me.

"They quite liked Jessica, though, didn't they?" Edward said smoothly, watching me trying to modestly wriggle into my jeans while I held the shirt to my chest. His eyes danced with enjoyment.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I snapped.

"You told them you were staying at hers last night, right?" he asked. "I don't see why they'd be worried if they knew where you were. Of course," he added thoughtfully. "They don't really know where you are. But you're an intelligent girl. I'm sure you'll think up a good story for what you and Jessica got up to last night."

I paused. "I told them I stayed with Jess?" I repeated stupidly. "I don't even remember talking to them!"

"You did have a full bottle of wine by yourself," Edward reminded me. "I'm surprised you remember the picnic at all."

I vaguely remembered enjoying a glass or two while we sat in a fairy kingdom. "The whole bottle?" I asked uncertainly. "Well... how did I get back here?"

Edward's smile spread even wider. "I don't know whether I should even tell you, Quinn. All I can say is, the girls in Australia are very different to American girls."

I smiled tentatively, and resumed pulling on my jeans. "I hope that's a good thing."

Edward never took his eyes off me. "It is."

I finished dressing quickly and took a few steps towards him. He was still lying there in bed, but I noticed he was already dressed. "How long have you been awake? Why didn't you wake me?"

"I wake up early. Besides, you still had a couple of hours before you had to be up for school."

"Mmm. What time is it anyway?"

Edward didn't even look before answering. "We'll have to leave in about fifteen minutes if you want to make first period."

For the second time that morning, I was shocked into moving. "Edward! For somebody so good-looking, you really have no idea how long it takes to get ready in the morning!" I threw open his bedroom door, and was in the hallway before I skidded to a stop. I went to turn around, and to my surprise, Edward was right behind me. "Great. Just great. I didn't bring a change of clothes, and I have no idea where your bathroom is."

"The bathroom is the second door on your left," he answered, indicating. "And as for your outfit... I think I can help you out."

"I appreciate the offer, but I can tell you right now that I'm not going to be wearing a dress shirt and sandals to school," I called to his retreating back. He turned slightly but kept walking.

"Quinn. I have two sisters with incredibly expensive taste. I think I can find you something you'll deem acceptable."

I grumbled under my breath and headed for the bathroom. By the time I got out of what was undoubtedly the quickest shower of my life, a pair of clothes were sitting on the bathroom counter. I hadn't even noticed him come in.

Unfurling the clothes, I couldn't help but get a little bit excited. The BCBG knit-jersey dress was clingy and short, but for something with so little material, I was certain it had costed more than anything in my wardrobe. A pair of pantyhose and a pair of black patent Steve Madden flats completed the ensemble, and I giddily dressed, admiring myself in the mirror as I did so. I was overdressed, but damn, it felt great.

As I made my way back to his room to grab my bag, I bumped into who I presumed was one of his sisters. She didn't look like him, but they had the same shiny velour-skin and fiery eyes. If I had felt overdressed before, I certainly didn't now. The tiny, pixie-like brunette wore her bangs brushed back and fastened with an old-fashioned hair slide, encrusted with what I was sure was real emeralds. Her short hair just grazed the collar of her upturned Marnie Skillings bolero, which she wore over a white v-neck and a high-waisted beige Stella McCartney pleated skirt. My eye-level immediately dropped to her shoes, which were a pair of jade-green Manolo Blahnik wedges. My toes curled at the delicious thought of wearing them.

"Quinn, right?" the beautiful creature asked. "I'm Alice. Edward's sister."

"Yeah, Quinn," I managed. "Nice to meet you."

"I think we have math together," Alice said, her floaty voice high and sweet. "Did you come around for a lift to school?"

"Yes, I did," I answered, not missing a beat. "Edward was nice enough to show me around yesterday at school... and he offered me a lift."

"Mmhmm," Alice responded, looking me up and down. I didn't think she believed me, which made me worry about whether Edward often brought strange girls home at weird hours of the night. I hoped not. "Does Rosalie know you're wearing her clothes?"

"Is that your other sister?"

"She's my step-sister," Alice explained. "Fiercely protective of her wardrobe. I'm surprised you managed to get in there without her cutting your throat. How come you're wearing some of her clothes?"

Edward appeared behind me so silently and smoothly I could have sworn he flew. "Quinn spilt coffee on her shirt on the way over," he cut in. "I told her she could borrow some of Rosalie's clothes."

Alice met his gaze and they seemed to be engaged in a silent conversation. Her mouth twitched a little, and she turned on her heel and started down the hallway towards the garage. "It was nice meeting you Quinn," she called. "If you need anything at school, or just some girly time, I'm always here." She rounded a corner and disappeared.

I watched her go. "Don't you all go to school together?"

Edward shook his head and placed my handbag in the crook of my arm, gently steering me down the hall. "No. We don't always leave at the same time, and sometimes we need to get there early. It's just easier if we bring our own cars."

We passed the kitchen. "Do you want breakfast?" I asked him, looking longingly at the shiny white fridge. "We could get something on the way."

Edward ducked his head, and I could have sworn that I heard a laugh from the garage.

"No thank you, Quinn. I already ate."


	6. Chapter 6

It was as if I'd been asked to sit at the popular table, and I felt as though I didn't deserve it.

All day, kids threw me admiring looks, mingled with respect, and if I was reading it correctly, fear. I'd only been at the school for one day, and already people knew the name Quinn Hadley. But I wasn't interested in letting people get to know me. I just wanted to devour every piece of information I could get my hands on about the Cullen's.

I learnt the most during lunch.

Walking into the cafeteria with my sparsely loaded tray, I scanned the room, searching for a friendly or familiar face. I saw Lauren and Jessica, and the latter waved to me eagerly. I took a couple of steps forward before I felt a hand at my elbow. "Come sit with me," Edward purred, propelling me forwards.

I ended up at a table with Edward and Alice, and three others I presumed were his other siblings. The beautiful blonde, with the tumbling waves and the impeccably pressed silk blouse, was undoubtedly Rosalie. Her nostrils flared a little as her eyes raked me up and down, and I looked away uncomfortably.

The beefy guy who I'd seen with Edward yesterday clapped me on the back. "I'm Emmett," he introduced himself, with a huge grin. "You must be Quinn."

"Yep," I answered, cracking open my soda so I could pretend to be busy. "Nice to meet you."

"This is Jasper," Alice volunteered, indicating to the guy on her right. She rested her arm gently on his hand, nudging it. Jasper nodded briefly, and went back to his open textbook. I squinted a little to see the title. It seemed as though he was reading a book entirely in Latin, but that wasn't a subject offered in Forks. Maybe I needed to brush up on my languages.

"And this is Rosalie," Alice continued, waving her hand in Rosalie's direction.

Rosalie actually smiled, and I felt myself exhale. "You've got beautiful hair," she said, reaching out and tugging a curl. "Do you curl it? Or is it naturally like that?"

Emmett snorted. "You only like it because it's exactly like yours."

Rosalie turned to him, her eyebrows raised. "And my hair is beautiful as well."

They began to bicker on appearances, and I leant back and surveyed them all while fiddling with my straw wrapper. Rosalie and Alice were so achingly beautiful, with their porcelain skin and sharp features. They could be moving Mona Lisa's. Jasper, Emmett and Edward didn't look a thing alike, yet at the same time, you knew they had to be somehow related. They all had that spark, that undefinable thing about them that made you need to look twice. For Emmett, it was his sturdy size, his rippling muscles that looked as if he'd been carved out of granite. Jasper's piercing eyes and tense mouth screamed intelligence and knowing, and something more meaningful lurking underneath his calm waters. Edward... well, it was everything. I couldn't pick one definable thing about Edward that was attractive. It would have been easier to ask me to list the amount of makeup products I had in my bathroom.

"So, Quinn," Emmett said, finally ending the argument between himself and Rosalie. "Why are you in Forks?"

I gave him the watered down version of my depressing story, and changed the subject swiftly. "So, tell me something. Why is it that everyone here treats you guys like royalty?"

There was silence at the table.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked finally, raising his brows.

"Well," I stuttered, regretting my choice of words. "Not royalty, I guess. I mean, I haven't seen anyone bow down to you guys yet. But they might as well. You're all so... respected. It's as if you're the Royal Family. What I mean is... how come?"

Alice exchanged a look with Jasper. "I guess we've never really noticed," she answered delicately.

"Are you serious?" I blurted out. "Just this morning, I saw some kid take off his jacket and throw it in a puddle so Rosalie could cross without ruining her shoes! If that isn't special treatment, I don't know what is."

"I think what Alice means," Edward interjected. "Is that the kids here mostly avoid us. We've never really meshed with them, and I suppose it's partly our fault, as we've never really tried to. But for the most part, we just don't interact. So it's not so much that they worship us, as it is that they're stunned when we actually speak to them."

"And Joseph only threw down his coat because Rosalie is pretty," Alice said dismissively. "Did you not see what he did for Cara Harper last week? He took off his pants so she could cover her hair on the way to her car in the rain. Eventually, he thinks one of these acts is going to pay off."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "It won't."

Alice spread her arms out. "So there you have it. The secret to our success. Just don't talk to anybody, and everyone will think you're mysterious. Instant respect."

"Alice," Edward admonished. He turned to me. "You can speak to anyone you like, Quinn. Don't listen to any of us."

"We're just mysterious and weird," Jasper said softly, still looking at his book. The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.

"I think you guys are pretty cool, actually," I announced, picking up my apple and biting into it. "Much cooler than anyone back home. At my old high school, we'd sit out on the grass and tan, while the boys played football, shirts and skins style. The girls would read fashion magazines, and cheer the boys on. They'd holler out shallow things about how we looked, and we'd pretend to be insulted, but of course we were pleased."

"Sounds pretty great to me," Emmett commented. Rosalie smacked him on the back of the head, and his massive frame actually budged a couple of centimetres. Wow. Apparently Rosalie was hiding some serious muscles.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. But it all seems sort of shallow now. Petty, even. Everyone here actually talks about current affairs, and the kids belong to things like yearbook and political science groups. It's a lot more mature than my old school, that's for sure." I threw up my hands. "Rant over."

"Don't stop ranting on our account," Edward said, smiling. "I like hearing about your life."

"That's line number 27 in the old Cullen handbook, eh?" Emmett chuckled. "Watch out Quinn. He's really pulling out all the stops to land you!"

Alice smiled at me. "I think it's quite sweet, actually. You might be good for our little Edward. He hasn't dated anyone since we started high school here."

"You guys are both... together, right?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. "I mean, dating. You're all dating."

"I'm with Jasper and Rosalie and Emmett are together, yes," Alice answered slowly. "We've been together ever since Dr. Cullen adopted us."

"We're not related or anything weird like that," Emmett said, laughing. "So don't stress. You're not getting into some creepy family."

The bell rang, and they all scraped back their chairs and stood. "Listen, Quinn," Edward said, taking my hand. "I know this is a little weird and soon, but we're going on a camping trip this weekend. I'd love it if you came along."

I felt a twinge of doubt. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett watched me closely. "I... I don't know. I mean, I'm not sure if I'd be allowed. Plus all of the clothes that I've packed aren't really suited to camping. I'm not even sure I know what camping is."

Jasper broke forward from the group and looked me right in the eye. His gaze was hypnotic. "Quinn, I'd really love it if you could join us," he said. "Please think about it. It would be a wonderful time to get to know one another, and I'm sure if you really put your mind to it, you could convince your mother and father to let you come."

Suddenly, I couldn't think of one reason why I shouldn't be going to this camping trip. I wracked my brains, trying to come up with my initial deterrent, but nothing sprang to mind. "I guess you're right," I replied aloud.

"Anyway," Rosalie sniffed, "you can always tell them that you're just going to spend the night at Jessica's, right? I mean, they fell for it last night."

"Right," I laughed. They all said goodbye to one another and broke away, heading in different directions. Edward actually grabbed my hand and kissed it. My skin tingled as he backed away slowly, smiling.

It was funny. I couldn't actually remember telling Rosalie about lying to my parents and saying I'd been at Jess's. Hell, I didn't even remember telling my parents that myself. But I must have told her at one point.

Right?


	7. Chapter 7

It had taken almost two hours to convince my parents to let me go, but in the end they'd both relented. My mother had wrung her hands together like wet dish towel, darting looks at my father, waiting for him to make a point so she could back him up. He sat at the dinner table, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of crumbed chicken. His gaze was unsettling, and I could feel myself looking around the room just to avoid his stare.

"Remind me again why you absolutely have to be at this party," he said.

"You want me to have friends, don't you?" I whined, pulling out the old card that usually worked so well. "This party is supposed to be the party of the century, Dad."

"The party of the century, hey?" he echoed, shooting my mother a look that conveyed worry, skepticism and pure disbelief. "I thought that thing you went to earlier was the thing that couldn't be missed this year."

I waved my hand. "I don't even remember what you're talking about. That's how much of a non-event it was."

My father speared a potato gem onto his fork and raised it to his lips. It made me smile - my muscle-bound 110kg father's favourite food in the world was potato gems. He glanced over at my mother, who folded the tea towel onto her lap. She shrugged imperceptibly. Her patented look; I knew if I could convice Dad, I could convince her. She never went against him.

"There are conditions," he said, pointing the fork at me. "You call me before you go to sleep, so I can hear that you're safe and that you're not pissed on goon, or Cruisers, or whatever the hell it is you kids pretend you don't drink."

I raised my hand innocently. "I don't even know how to spell alcohol, Dad."

He pursed his lips and continued. "You call me in the morning when you wake up. Anywhere you go that's more than twenty kilometres away from this house, the minute you get there, you ring me and you tell me you're safe."

"That sounds reasonable," I agreed. _And highly improbable._

"I want the number of the place you're staying at, too, just in case something happens to your mobile," he added, correctly gauging the look on my face.

"I don't think you can ring the beach, Dad," I answered. "We're camping out in the woods near the sand. Don't worry, I won't forget to call."

"Humph," he muttered, but that was the end of it.

I swallowed the last piece of my chicken breast and put my knife and fork down. "I have a lot of math homework to do," I lied. "Is it okay if I skip out on dishes tonight?"

My mother smiled warmly. "Of course, sweetheart. You're really making an effort at school, aren't you? I'm so happy that you're trying to fit in and trying to get good grades. Aren't you happy, darling?" she addressed the question to my father, but he'd already turned his attention to a rerun of _Seinfeld_ on the television. I tossed my napkin on my plate and scraped back my chair.

I powered on my laptop the minute I got to my room. Calling up Google chrome, I typed in my Facebook details and logged in. I immediately searched for Edward Cullen, and when that didn't come up, tried a couple of variations of his first name. There was no listing under Eddie, Ed, Eddo, Eddy or anything similar. Disheartened, I scrolled through my newsfeed for a couple of minutes to see what my old friends were up to. One of my best friends, Candice, had broken up with her steady boyfriend Joe Mike for the third time that year. The sniping comments back and forth on her relationship status were immature and scathing, and I hit 'like' on a couple of choice barbs from Candice. Gary Crewes, a boy I had dated back in Year Eight, had been in a car accident, but was doing okay. I wrote the obligatory "OMG so sorry 2 hear, thinkin of u xxxx" on his wall and pressed 'submit'.

I had a couple of friend requests from the students at my new school, but before I accepted them I double checked my profile to make sure it was polished. I was a big believer in first impressions, and I wanted everyone at my new school to know that I was a big deal at my old one. Shallow? Sure. But I'm a teenage girl. There isn't much else I have going on.

I picked my laptop up from my desk and carried it over to my bed, preparing to watch a movie and maybe Skype Candice. I checked out the friend requests and accepted a few before trying to ring Candice. She didn't answer, so I plugged in my external hard drive so that I could choose a movie. In the end, I went with an old classic. _Mean Girls_ would never not be the top five choice. I threw on my nightshirt and snuggled into bed.

I shut my eyes around the time that Regina took Cady and co shopping, and when I opened them again, Cady was crowing out her acceptance speech at the prom. I shifted uncomfortably and went to pitch my laptop off my legs and onto the floor, but something was in the way.

"Oh my fucking _God_, Edward!" I choked out, reeling back in shock.

"Hi," he said in response, looking at me darkly from beneath his heavy brows.

"Are you - just - Jesus Christ, dude, _seriously._ I almost screamed at the top of my lungs, you know? My Dad would have been in here and I'm not kidding, he would be holding your spleen in your hand so fast that you wouldn't have any clue what hit you."

"My spleen, Quinn, really?" he asked.

"First thing that came to my mind," I answered gruffly.

"Are you mad that I'm here?" he asked softly.

Was I? I thought about it. No. I definitely wasn't. I looked up at him, all six feet, taking in his tight grey v-neck and the dark brown, almost purplish jeans he wore cuffed up above his hand-stitched boat shoes. His muscles were outlined so visibly in his shirt that they looked drawn on.

"No, I'm not," I dribbled out, barely aware of my own words.

He slid into my bed fluidly, taking the laptop from my hands and placing it gently on the floor. "I'm sorry. I know I'm here uninvited. But I just couldn't wait to see you."

"We have school tomorrow," I reminded him. "You would have seen me then."

He nuzzled into my neck. "Not soon enough," he muttered, brushing his nose under my chin. "I just felt like I had to see you."

"Won't your parents wonder where you are?" I checked my slim wristwatch. "It's nine-o-clock!"

"They're pretty easy-going," Edward answered. He kicked his leg out and my printed quilt billowed up and onto me. He pulled it tight around our shoulders, and leant in closer. He was completely on top of me, his forearms supporting his weight while he stared down into my eyes. I drowned in a sea of black.

"Your eyes look like they're a different colour," I said, dazed.

"I've got some rare condition," he told me. "My eyes change colour quite frequently. Who knows? They might be a burning amber in a couple of hours."

I laughed, although it wasn't really all that funny. I was finding breathing quite difficult; my brain was racing with all these different emotions. Fear, anxiety, fatigue, excitement, lust.

He dipped his head forward. "If you want me to leave, I can," he whispered.

"Don't," I breathed, and before I'd even had a chance to process my next thought, his mouth was on mine. His mouth was on fire, moving across mine with such a ferocity that it made me feel dizzy, even though I was lying down. Our lips danced together, scraping the other raw, and his hands roamed up and down my body, making me ache.

I buried my hands in his messy hair, pulling at it and crushing his face to mine. He responded just as enthusiastically, and somehow, while still supporting his weight, he moved his hands down and grabbed my thighs, wrapping me around him. "Quinn," he moaned, his breath ragged. "You are so beautiful."

Just what every girl wants to hear, really. Especially in the heat of the moment. I'd like to think of myself as a strong-willed, independent woman who doesn't need men to make her feel good, but what girl doesn't melt when an Adonis tells her she's beautiful? An Adonis to extreme scale, by the way. I could feel him pressing on me through his jeans.

I fumbled my hands down and unzipped his jeans, pushing the waistband down over his hips. He pulled down my nightshirt, ripping the fabric, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. He tugged me into his mouth, and I arched my back, my mouth open, preparing to call out, but he jammed his hand across my face to muffle me. In a split second, he was inside, and the feeling was so intense that I almost passed out. I raised my eye-level to his, and he was gazing straight at me as he moved. Suddenly, he lowered his head, and I felt pin-pricks of pain on my neck.

That was when I passed out.


	8. Chapter 8

When I woke, I could barely muster the strength to sit up. Memories of the night before came back, and I smiled to myself slightly. I opened my eyes blearily and caught sight of my bedside table clock. School had started almost half an hour ago.

"Shit!' I hissed, pushing myself up onto my elbows. The sudden movement took all of my strength and I dropped back down onto my back, stretching out lazily. "I can't believe I slept in."

I swung my legs out of bed slowly, groaning to myself. My head felt like it was full of marshmallow; my brain was a fluffy mass. I couldn't even collect my thoughts. By the time I'd showered, stumbled back to my closet and dressed, and applied my makeup, it was almost an hour and a half later. I opened my closet door to inspect myself in the mirror I'd hung up on the inside of the door. My high-waisted denim shorts with frayed hems and ripped pockets showed off my tanned, lithe legs, and I shuffled my feet into a pair of Havianas. I glanced outside at the miserable weather, and sighed as I turned back to inspect my daisy-embroidered kelly-green tank top. My summer clothes were not going to cut it today. I fished a battered cardigan out of the back of my closet and as I shrugged it around my shoulders, a mark on my neck caught my eye.

I frowned as I leaned forward, my forehead wrinkling in confusion. A light bruising had begun to flower on my neck, and in the centre was a crescent shaped indentation. What the hell was that?

I recalled Edward visiting me, and a blush rose to my cheeks. Jesus Christ almighty, I'd known the boy for days and I'd already had sex with him. It hadn't been my first time - that honour went to Joey Bannerman in the ninth grade in the back of his father's ute. He'd put down a flowered blanket over a blow up mattress he'd stolen out of his neighbour's garage. I'd slept with four more guys since that day - multiple times, so it wasn't upsetting to me that I'd already let Edward into my underwear. I wondered whether that was the norm in Forks, Washington. Would he think I was easy? Would he be less inclined to want me now?

Wincing slightly, I inspected the bruise. It kind of looked like a bite mark. A lightbulb went off in my head, and I realised what it was. "Bloody Edward," I muttered under my breath. He must have been attempting a hickey and accidentally left too much of a mark. I wasn't a stranger to hickeys, and at least the weather was scarf-permitting. In Australia, all you could do to cover up a hickey was slap on some TrueMatch foundation and leave your hair out.

I dug out my suitcase and unthreaded the fake Louis Vuitton scarf I'd looped through the handles. I tied it around my neck and grabbed my tote bag and dashed out the door. My mother had either assumed I'd gotten myself up and out early, or had left to do her shopping much earlier than usual, before I would usually set my alarm. I was out the door and on the street in seconds.

The streets looked beautiful in the morning light, however weak it was as it struggled to shine through the clouds. My feet were absolutely freezing, and I vowed to head into Seattle on the weekend to buy a nice pair of boots, or three. Hopefully Bumblefuck, USA, carried at least one decent shop that wasn't dirt cheap or ridiculously overpriced. I then remembered that I already had plans for the weekend, and it put a spring in my step, admittedly a lethargic one.

By the time I sailed through the gates at Forks High, I was so unbelievably late that I regretted even turning up. Before I headed to my class, I ducked into the bathroom, scrabbling in my bag for a biro and some paper. Flipping open one of my notebooks, I meticulously penned an apology note for my morning absence in my mothers handwriting. I ripped it from the book and folded it carefully, holding it between my fingertips as I left the bathroom. I was halfway down the hall when the bell rang, signalling first lunch break. I almost threw up my hands and hurled the note at the ceiling in frustration. I may as well have stayed home.

The classroom doors opened and students shuffled out, heading for the tuckshop, or 'cafeteria', as I'd slowly been learning to call it. I turned and followed suit, digging into my bag for my phone. As expected, Jessica had already messaged me asking where I was, and on a more subtle note, Angela had posted a smiley face and a question mark onto my Facebook wall. I ignored both for the moment and answered an inbox message from Hannah Aldrin, a friend in the year above from Australia. I had almost finished an imaginative reply detailing just how crazy and wild the Forks scene was someone crash-tackled me from behind. I dropped to the ground, and my phone fell out of my hand and skittered across the floor.

"Oh, shit, sorry, Quinn!" a voice cried anxiously. "I didn't even hit you that hard - what do they make girls out of in Australia? Marshmallow?"

Tyler Crowley stuck his hand out to help me up, and I glowered up at him. "No, idiot," I seethed as I hauled myself to my feet clumsily. "We're made of sugar and spice and everything nice."

"The everything nice part is evident," Tyler grinned, eyeing me appreciatively as he bent down to pick up my phone. "But I'll have to have a taste of you to confirm the sugar."

I completely ignored his comment and held my hand out for the phone. He pretended to take a selfie before handing it back over, flashing me a cocky smile. I turned and kept walking in the direction of the cafeteria, and Tyler fell into step next to me.

"Seriously, though," he prodded. "I've seen you in gym - you're fitter and stronger than every single girl in this school, but you went down like a sack of potatoes. You're losing tone, Quinnie."

"Call me Quinnie again and I'll show you just how fit and strong I am," I shot back grimly, wishing I could just punch him right on the nose.

"I love it when you get physical," he teased, his eyes lighting up. "But it's making me doubt there's any sugar in you at all. How about -"

"Quinn," a smooth voice interrupted. "I've been waiting for you."

Edward stepped in between Tyler and I, and then rounded in front of me, cutting me off. "You weren't in class. I was beginning to think you were off sick today."

Tyler pushed his way into my eyesight again. "That would explain why Quinnie here hit the ground so hard when we were wrestling," he said casually, trying to establish some sort of connection to me. It was a human version of essentially pissing on me and claiming territory. "Have you got the flu?"

Edward's eyes flashed as he clamped his hand down on my arm and steered me away from Tyler. "I assume Quinn is tired and worn out from last night," he commented, and my mouth dropped open. Tyler had a similar reaction, and actually stopped dead in his tracks. Edward propelled me forward, heading for the cafeteria, and I turned back to look at Tyler, somehow feeling guilty. Edward brushed his hand over my scarf possessively, pulling it down slightly to reveal the hickey bruise on my neck. I re-adjusted the scarf and turned back around, not before catching a glimpse of Tyler's stunned and hurt face. Edward draped his arm around me as we shouldered our way through the crowd.

We passed Jessica and Angela, seated at their usual table. Angela waved cheerfully, but Jessica looked slightly peeved. I gave Angela a small smile in return, and basked in the looks I was receiving from everyone else. Even though I'd eaten lunch with the Cullens for quite a few days, the admiration, respect, intrigue and fear I felt rolling off all the other students was still great. I felt like a minor celebrity in Forks.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Alice sang out as I sank into a chair. Edward went off to get me something to eat, and I watched him saunter off, admiring the toned body that he'd poured into his jeans that morning. Alice followed my eye-line and waggled a finger in my face. "Cut that out while we're all sitting together, Quinn."

"Yeah," Emmett echoed, shoving two fingers down his throat and miming puking. "Some of us want to keep our lunches down."

I stared at the table. "You all barely even eat anyway," I pointed out. It was true. Emmett had a tray sat in front of him with a carton of cheese fries, barely touched, and a bottle of soda, unopened. Jasper had a plate of butter chicken and rice, which he'd swirled around and mushed up, making it impossible to tell whether any of it had been eaten. Alice had a bowl of soup, pushed away from her.

Emmett laughed and picked up a cheese fry, flicking it at me. "I had a big breakfast."

Jasper lifted a forkful of mush and let it drop back onto the plate. "It's hard to go from Esme's fine dining cuisine to this. I'd rather eat at home."

Alice shrugged lightly. "The soup is still too hot. I'm waiting for it to cool."

Rosalie looked down at the empty space in front of her and raised an eyebrow. "You don't get a body like mine by eating cafeteria food."

"What am I supposed to bring camping, then?" I asked. "Are you all fussy eaters?"

Jasper exchanged a look with Emmett. "We've all got similar tastes," he said after a beat.

"You don't need to bring a thing, Quinn," Emmett said.

Edward came up behind me and lowered a tray laden with food. "Just bring yourself," he said. "That'll be enough. Trust me."


	9. Chapter 9

"What are these, Quinn?" Edward asked me, raising an eyebrow. He reached into the closet and pulled out a pair of daisy-printed hip-hugger pants, designed to ride up your butt. He stretched them in his hands and dangled them between his fingertips.

"They're shorts!" I said. "What's wrong with them?"

He eyed them doubtfully as I plucked them out of his hands. "You'd wear more in the shower."

"How would you know what I wear in the shower?" I teased, flinging them back in the closet and going back to my packing. I'd been trying to pack for the weekend for almost half an hour, but Edward was making it increasingly difficult to concentrate.

"Well," he answered, "I can only guess. But if your choice of shorts are any indication..."

He let his voice trail off seductively. I blushed and looked back down at the bulging case that I'd been shoving clothes into. He followed my gaze and frowned slightly. "Why are you packing so much? You know we're just going camping for a couple of days. You only need something to sleep in and a couple of changes of clothes for hiking."

"I know that!" I said indignantly. "I'm packing the bare essentials, Edward."

He crossed the room in a few steps, and nudged me out of the way with his hip. He loosened the opening and began to pull out the clothes I'd already squashed in. "These are essentials, Quinn?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. He yanked out the pair of sandals I'd worn on our first date. "You need hiking boots, not these things. And what about this?"

He examined the lacy nightie I'd tossed in for sleeping in. "This isn't going to shield you from any elements. You need to pack jackets, and sweatpants, and things like that."

"I thought you were going to keep me warm," I countered, sticking out my bottom lip. "I can pack jumpers and track pants if you like... but I really thought you'd prefer the nightie." 

"I can't say I dislike it," Edward replied, a small smile lighting up his lips. "But I'm only thinking of you. And what will your mother say if she realises you're planning on being so scantily clad around me and two other testosterone-ridden males? Jasper and Emmett are... are only human, Quinn."

"How would my mother possibly find out?" I said. "My parents don't realise I'm going to be with your family, remember?"

"That's even worse, really," he pointed out. "Don't they think you'll be with a bunch of rowdy teenagers somewhere?"

"It doesn't matter anyway," I dismissed. "They're not going to see what I pack. They trust me. I'm a big girl, Edward."

"On the contrary, lovely Quinn," he countered, tracing up my bare arm and letting his fingers dance lightly over my collarbone. "You're quite tiny. I'm sure if I wanted to, I could pick you up and hold you above my head. I could do quite a lot of damage... if I wanted to."

Something in his tone had changed. I looked up at him, a little wary, and recoiled a little when I saw his expression. His eyes were wide, and almost manic, and his jaw was set stiffly. He looked... possessed.

"Hey," I said, lifting my hand to his face. "I think the last thing on your mind is damaging me, right?"

"Of course," he said immediately, his eyes trained on mine, still pitch black.

I crossed the room and headed for my closet, looking for the only pair of sturdy, closed in shoes I owned. My shiny, polished Doc Martens were jammed behind my jumble of handbags and clutches, and I fished them out and flung them across the room onto my bed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward catch them and examine them.

"These. These are what you plan on walking around in?" he asked, disgusted. "They'll give you blisters."

"Well, you'll just have to carry me," I retorted, my head still buried in the closet. "You must have had some inkling of what I was like when you met me. I'm not the type of shop exclusively in Kathmandu, thank you."

I heard the door open and close downstairs, and grimaced. "That'll be my dad. Did you want to come downstairs and meet him?" I smiled playfully at him. "I know it's pretty soon, we've only been seeing each other for a really short while... but it would be nice if I could introduce you."

Edward had turned away from me, and was carefully folding a thin lilac sweater, making sure the creased aligned perfectly. "That's a nice idea, in theory," he said after a moment. "But do you really think it's a _good_ idea?"

"Well, why not?" I asked. "You'll have to see him anyway, when you leave."

"I could just jump out the window," he suggested.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any radioactive spiders for you to be bitten by," I shot back. "Why won't you come down and meet him?"

He didn't turn around; rather, he placed the sweater into my bag and picked up a pair of denim shorts. He ran his hands along the sunflower-shaped buttons.

I felt a rush of annoyance. What the hell was his problem? It wasn't as if I was asking him to kill a calf in my honour to present to my father. I knew it was very soon to be introducing one another to the folks, but I'd be meeting his family on the weekend, even if my parents weren't aware of it. All he had to do was go downstairs and shake his hand.

"Edward," I tried.

He whipped around, so quickly that my vision blurred. The pair of shorts in his hands were stretched tightly, and the button popped off and clattered to the floor. "Quinn, look at me," he commanded, and I gazed into his eyes. They were hypnotic pools of onyx, and my insides turned quivery. God, his eyes were amazing. My mind went totally, blissfully, blank. "I am not going to go downstairs and meet your fucking father. Is that clear?"

"What?" I asked, dazed. "You want to meet my Dad?" What was he talking about? Why did he want to meet my Dad.

"I don't think I can meet him, Quinn." Edward continued. "You wanted to keep this relationship quiet, remember? You thought it would be more romantic. Like... Romeo and Juliet. Remember?"

"Of course I remember," I said. Had I said that? I'd never read Romeo and Juliet, but I'd seen the movie. The Leonardo DiCaprio one, of course. "It's a lot more romantic that way."

"So what are we arguing about?" Edward asked. He turned away and my insides returned to normal. I blinked.

"Why would we be arguing?" I responded. Downstairs, I heard the rattle of the fridge as it was pulled open. "Shit. My dad is home."

Edward shrugged lightly. "Did you want me to leave just yet?"

I shook my head. "No. Dad will probably think I'm out with Mum at the shops. And even if he does think I'm home, he won't move from the couch until Mum calls him for dinner. Not if there's cold beer and Game of Thrones on HBO."

"Wonderful," Edward said, smiling. "Though I hate that show. Too violent and... bloody, for my taste. Well, your packing seems to be almost done. What could two teenagers do to waste away an afternoon?"

I raised my hands to my neck, running my fingers along the flowering bruise. "Well, I need to wash my hair," I said suggestively. "But it's getting kind of long, and I don't think I can soap it properly without help."

He was at my side instantly, his nose buried deep in my hair. "It smells freshly washed to me," he pondered. "I'm not sure that you need to wash it."

"Haircare is very important to me, Edward," I said. "But I'll understand if you -"

He tossed my over his shoulder and zoomed into the bathroom. I opened my mouth to squeal indignantly, but he slapped his hand over my face. I recoiled instantly, my skin stinging so badly that tears sprung to my eyes. I knew he'd only meant to do it to keep me quiet in case my Dad heard, but _fuck._ He didn't know his own strength.

Within seconds, he'd torn off my top and tugged my pants down, and hustled me into the shower. I didn't even remember him taking off his own clothes, but there he was, buck naked and unbelievably _massive._ A hundred things happened at once. The water turned on, a loofah was stuffed into my mouth, his hands were underneath me and hitching me up against the tiles, my legs were wrapped around me and he was in, pumping hard to the steady rhythm of the pulsating water. I bit down hard on the loofah, my entire body and mind numb. He slid out of me, replacing the void with his fingers, and his mouth attacked my breasts. My head bashed against the tiles again and again, until finally, with a stinging pain near my collarbone, I slipped into unconsciousness.


End file.
